Rookie Camp begins today

Clifton Dawson, arguably the most prolific running back in the history of the Ivy League, was not taken in Sunday's NFL draft, but was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts. While the avid Harvard football fan was watching the draft hoping to see Dawson's name appear, the senior was already fielding phone calls from six pro teams, including Indianapolis, the Chicago Bears, the New York Jets, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Cleveland Browns. Dawson began to receive calls midway through the seventh round in what he called "a whirlwind," fielding conversations between multiple coaches at once. It was the Colts whose offer he deemed most appealing after taking into account both money-according to the squads, the bonus he got was a sum much larger than the typical free agent deal-and opportunity. "What I enjoy about the Colts is that they expressed sincere interest in me," Dawson said. "I spent a half hour on the phone with Coach [Tony] Dungy. They didn't draft a running back, which is important. I feel going in there I'll be competing for a roster spot." The senior now travels to Indianapolis next weekend for the Colts' mini camp. He plans to return for exams and graduation before beginning his professional career.